Behaviour Management of students in early years learning.

Teachers face several challenges while teaching young children. One of the major challenges teachers need to adjust to while teaching in the early years of schooling is to be able to effectively manage the behaviour of students in a classroom setting. Teachers need to have realistic expectations of the appropriate behaviours that students can display in the classroom to ensure that effective and conducive learning takes place. Teachers spend most of their time in classrooms with students. Thus, it is important that they are able to successfully ascertain behaviour management strategies that will ensure classroom environments that are nurturing and marked with high levels of achievement. (Charles, C, 1996, pg 205) Therefore, it can be seen that behaviour management is an extremely imperative aspect in both the life of the teachers and students.

Behaviour management refers to the actions and strategies of teachers to prevent and respond to inappropriate behaviour of students as well as to enhance self discipline among students. (Walker, J.E. and Shea, T.M, 1999 pg7) Inappropriate behaviour in classrooms may refer to students 'fighting, swearing, disrupting class activities for no reason, displaying loud and disorderly conduct and inept or misuse of equipment.' (Walker, J.E. and Shea, T.M, 1999 pg 10) This kind of negative behaviour can cause distress, chaos and disruptions in learning especially for those who are keen to enjoy the learning. (Walker, J.E. and Shea, T.M, 1999 pg 10) Hence, it is fundamental that teachers develop an appropriate framework to manage the student's behaviour. This is as the way in which behaviour is managed by teachers has a major influence on how the students will behave in the future.

According to research, being able to successfully manage the behaviour of students in the early years ensures good academic learning to occur as there is a relationship between intellectual outcomes and behaviour. (McInerney, D, 1998 pg 108) There...